Adjustable frame for assembling picture-puzzles.



T. G. STRATER.

ADJUSTABLE FRAME FOR ASSEMBLING PICTURE PUZZLBS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. za, 1909.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

THEODORE G. STRATER, 0F WEST TISBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE FRAME FOR ASSEMBLING PICTURE-PUZZLES.

Speoication of Letters Patent.

Application led March 23, 1909. Serial No. 485,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ti-iEoDoRn G. STRATER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of West Tisbury, county of Dukes, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Adjustable Frames for Assembling Picture-Puzzles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of an adjustable frame for use in putting together or assembling picture puzzles, whereby the work of the person engaged in suoli occupation is assisted and made more convenient.

Ordinarily the pieces of a picture puzzle are laid out on a table or other flat surface and assembled piece by piece, and frequently the puzzle is built up from its lower edge or from one or more corners., the majority of such puzzles having square corners, and straight edges bounding` the same when fully assembled; If' a corner or an edge can be firmly held in place it is much easier to continue the assembling of the other pieces, but such holding is diiicult to accomplish, and so far as I am aware no means has heretofore been devised for this purpose.

In the present embodiment of my invention I provide an adjustable frame for the purpose above set forth, such frame comprising a fiat, solid base provided with series of parallel guideways intersected at right angles by other series of parallel guideways, each guideway extending continuously from one side face of the base to the opposite side face and being adapted to receive bounding members which are sustained by and supported in the guideways at right angles to the face of the base and projecting above the same sufficiently to provide a backing for the blocks or pieces forming the edges of the puzzle.

Owing -to the arrangement of the guideways and the detachable and movable bounding members the inclosing wall or ledge for the puzzle can be adapted to any desired rectangle within the limits of the frame.

The novel features of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out inthe following claims. Y

Figure l is a top plan view of an adjustable frame embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section therebase, of varying dimensions. `waysy are adapted to receive removable Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

of on the line 2-2, Fig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional details showing a modified form of bounding member, to be referred to; Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of a portion of the base showing a corner piece set therein and a short length of a straight bounding piece adjacent thereto.

I prefer to make the fiat base A of rectangularform and of a convenient size, and preferably of wood, having sufiicient thickness for rigidity and to admit of the formation in its upper face of series of parallel grooves-or guideways a', intersected at right angles by other series of parallel grooves or guideways a2.

The guideways Vmay be conveniently made as saw-cuts of the proper depth and extended continuously fromone to the opposite side face of thebase, and referring to Fig. l itwill be seen that a plurality of rectangular figures are thus formed in the face of the Said guidebounding members, preferably made as relatively stiif elongated strips of metal, of a width greater than the depth of the guideways, in order that the upper portion of such a member will project above the face of the base when seated in a guideway.

In Fig.`1 I have shown four like bounding members, l, 2, 3 and 4:, the members l and 3 being seated in two of the guideways a and the members 2 and 4e in two of the guideways a2, the said members being arranged to form a closed rectangle, the upper portions of said members serving as the surrounding lip or wall. `Within this inclosure the pieces of the puzzle are adapted to be assembled, and it will be seen that the four corners of an assembled puzzle can thus be bounded, and likewise its four edges, the bounding members providing a firm support or backing for the limiting pieces of the puzzle. By changing the relative positions of the bounding members the rectangular inclosure may be enlarged or reduced in dimensions, and it may be square or oblong in shape, as desired, without any change in the actual length in the bounding members.

While I have shown the members l, 2, 3 and 4c as long enough to form the maximum rectangular inclosure they may be made somewhat shorter, if desired.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a corner-piece consisting of connected right-angled wings 5, 6, adapted to seat in two intersecting guide- ]tions, it desired, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the offset flanges 7, S projecting in opposite direction and being parallel to each other and connected by arflat web 9 at right angles to both. Either flange may be seated in a guidevvay, the other flange then forming the projecting. Wall, so that such members provide for a limited adjustment of the wall. That is,'if the flange 7 is seated in the guideivay, asin Fig.` 3, the Wall 8 may be too far out, and in that case the member is reversed as in Fig. 4L, the flange 8 enteringthe guideway andthe flange 7 forming the Wall. In any event the assembling of the pieces of the puzzle is facilitated, as the backing or supportallorde'd by the Walls of the bounding members prevents slipping about of such pieces and enables the other pieces to be fitted inmore readily and conveniently.

Having fully described my invention,

-What I claim as new and desire to secure by and removable elongated bounding members adapted to be set into the guideways to form a rectangular inclosure, the bounding members projecting above the face of the base at right angles thereto, the bounding men'ibers beingY of suflicient length to form the sides of an inclosure of varying area.

2. An adjustable frame for assembling picture puzzles, comprising a flat base provided with series of parallel grooves intersecting each other at right angles, and removable metallic bounding members of a greater Width than the depth of the grooves and adapted to be seated therein to form a rectangular inclosure on the face of the base, said bounding members consisting of a plate or strip having edge flanges projecting in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

T HEODORE G. STRATER.

Witnesses JOHN C. EDWARDS, TiroMAs J. DmmiroNn. 

